July pony time

This post is basically a quick summary of most of the month

Rain, rain and heat and storms.

Below are the two OTTBs grazing one evening in the rain, happily. 

In the major heat, my BO fed hay because the boys chose to stand in the stalled shade most of the day versus grazing

I fed dinner this evening..here they are racing up after I gave a whistle

Fatty "YUMMMMMS!!"

Soaking wet muzzle in full on molest mode

"FEEEEDZ ME!!"

My after work feeding attire; slip off wedges for rainboots.

Tres chic I know

After the rain photo opt

My best partner in crime, happy to be cooler and wet

Feeding time

A quick lunge after they digested a bit, and I used a fallen stick from a storm, as a cavaletti

Eye to eye

Another day, the BO and I did a quick bareback road ride. It was great and the weather wasn't 1000 degrees

Another day, I had a bareback pad ride

It WAS HOT so it was very relaxed but I wanted to keep him moving. His hoof cast has fallen off but he's remained sound

I rode him just in his halter. Floral portrait anyone?

One day driving out to the barn, I saw a tiny Momma deer and her Bambi drinking rain puddles

So cute and small!

Into the secret trail...

Last Saturday, the BO and I wanted to see if our boys could handle a trail ride at our nearby system.

If one pulled up sore/lame, we could quickly turn around home. It's great when we are all on the same page.

Heading down the busier dirt road to our connector trail

Gorgeous! I think the last time I rode here was back in March!

We had a ball and both the boys did great. We kept them at a walk.

Pito is healing from a possible suspensory injury, and Laz..well, he's better but he's had a few off weeks

Our ride

Starting tomorrow, I watch the barn/boys for a week which means I'll drive twice a day to feed

I love feeding the horses and being there early/late-it's a great way to start/end the hectic day.

 It will be a juggle as my work schedule is wonderfully crazzzzytown right now

Celebrate the 4th

Happy 4th of July!

I love the 4th, well really any holiday that celebrates good weather, good friends and good eating with no gifting pressure.

Unless you count making a food dish to pass a gift. Which I really do!

We cruised over to the West side of Michigan to our friend's cottage in Castle Park

Castle Park is literally like being in the movie of Dirty Dancing. 

It's the kind of place where the cottages are inherited, fantastic views of Lake Michigan, private beaches, the terrain is hilly, woody and fairy tale like with secret trails, and an amphitheater from the 1800's. There IS a Castle, and at night it's a bar with free beer and wine (eh ya...free) and their own private ice cream parlor, tennis courts, dancing with music by sunset on a bluff is just some of the summer Michigan magic.

Castle Park used to be the largest Horse show in MI back in the day...hence the magic there

Here was our view for 4 days

Lake Michigan

It's amazing how many people don't realize that Lake Michigan actually looks like an ocean. 

Oh, and the neighbor's fantastic display of fireworks

 Michigan has some spectator seasons and when you get to play by the Lake, major relief from the HOT sun

And back to the angel face

Living the life of relaxtion

 He was recasted this time with Equicast, by my trimmer, the morning of the 4th

We  both felt the resin in the Orthotape was a bit too unforgiving, not enough flexation.

For Laz's hoof, being his hoof wall is impaired it may have jammed in there causing worse pain and  actually pulling it apart. So glad I took if off in under 24 hours

 He's back to walking/trotting/cantering on his own

He is still on vacay for a bit. I just want to give him time, although a bareback ride soon will not hurt him

Toe stabbing below.

My hopes are when we get this hoof right (when will it happen!??!) everything else will get a chance for rebalance

 Casted RH

 See how odd he walks on his club too (RF)...I make myself crazy with all of this but then I just need to remember, he's happy and alive and moving.

This shot was mid turning as well

Ah the simple pleasures of being a loved OTTB

June Hoof review

I haven't blogged about Laz's hooves in so long!

Things were/are going well although a minor hiccup currently. I'll explain in a moment

Below is from trim mid May, of RH hoof

 Slowly bringing hoof toe back. Talks of casting at next trim

 The FOREVER soaking/treating of the terrible terrible white line

 This angle shows you how crushed and under run his heels are

It's been a steady year with this trimmer and I do think we are getting him set up for proper balance in the (hopefully) near future

***

Below is 5 weeks later, this past Thursday

(below is hoof shot from exactly 1 year ago)

 and back to as of late

 The medial hoof wall does.not.touch the ground due to terrible white line destruction of hoof wall.

This is why we chatted about casting him again (he took so well to it last summer)

 Updated sole shot--sorry not the cleanest

 I did clean/treat his RH and decided to cast him myself with my trimmers approval

 I used orthotape and I'm not convinced it's the same flexing power as the Equi

Either I used too much material, or it is different, but there was NO flex

 And I wrapped it too high on his coronary band for my liking.

I was able to carefully trim some but not enough

 This was a promising sign..the almighty rested leg

 I was feeling very proud!

Was. I watched him walk away after about 10 minutes and he was hobbling. 

What I forgot to mention, is prior to casting him (done on Friday, a day after his trim) he was hobbling too. I hoped the cast would give him the support he needed.

Maybe if done correctly and used the proper material it would have.

I left it and returned on Sunday am and promptly removed it. He was not better and I thought, better to be sore and bare and KNOW it's not my cast constricting his hoof.

So, I'm hoping my trimmer can come this week to recast him. I'll keep my orthotape for casting his fronts possibly in the future if need be..

Watching Laz feel sore again and not moving freely super super SUCKS.

He is cautiously short striding his RH and not wanting to allow the proper break over. I don't know if it's too much weight/change/angle change (although we've been slow and cautious) but I'm hoping he pulls out of it in the next couple of days. He is starting to feel and look sore, and muscles on RH flank area feel so so tight. I'm going out tonight to check on him, maybe give him banamine (I gave him some yesterday am for muscle relief) and give him a much needed massage.

I'm hoping this is a 3 steps back, before some great steps forward.